


I Need a Hero

by Freckles_and_glasses



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Superheroes/Superpowers, Bisexual Characters, Conflict of Interests, Crylo Ren Keith, Emo Keith (Voltron), F/F, F/M, Gay Characters, Gen, Honerva is Labour Comissioner, Internal Conflict, Lotor is a Crylo Ren Villain too, Lotor's Generals - Freeform, M/M, MFE pilots, News Reporter Adam, SuperHero Shiro, Superhero Hunk, Superhero Lance (Voltron), Superhero Pidge, Superhero Teams, Supervillain Keith, Supervillains, Supervillains Krolia and Tex, Team Voltron Family, They're soft bad guys, Trans Characters, Zarkon is Attorney General, pansexual characters, supportive dads
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-05
Updated: 2018-10-05
Packaged: 2019-07-10 20:55:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,537
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15957362
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Freckles_and_glasses/pseuds/Freckles_and_glasses
Summary: Tbh, this was inspired by Megamind.Keith Kogane has a secret. He's a supervillain. Only problem is, his dad is the city superhero. And he's starting to lose his grip on his secret identity when he keeps kidnapping the news reporter whenever he gets grounded. The news reporter...is his other dad. Adam and Shiro think it's about time to sit their son down.





	1. Chapter 1

The crowds cheered on the steps of the city counsel building. Smiles were big, cheers loud, screams were heard by the enhanced hearing of the courageous, outstanding, not to mention handsome, superhero of the city. 

Voltron stood before the enormous crowd. He smiled and waved. It almost made him cry, similar to those already bawling in tears. 

"Good morning everyone!" His eyes wrinkled under his eye mask. "It's an honour to spend my birthday out here with all of you." 

Even though he specifically told his husband he wanted to stay in bed today. Whatever. 

"We as a city, have taken so much this past year. Just last year, I remember blowing candles and five robberies at once hit and I was flying out before the cake was cut. A lot of evil has risen. Zarkon and Honerva Harding got promoted in office - haha! I'm kidding folks!" Voltron points over to where city officals stand and the married couple shake their heads slowly. "But there has been a surge of villains lately...Dark Prince, the Crooked Couple..."

There is booing and cries from the crowd as Voltron names many of the villains he's come across this year. "And lastly, perhaps the worst of all," he pauses and his expressioned is pained, like he knows this on a personal level. "Akira Night." 

The crowd sounds like they all got bit by death at the same time. 

"But I vowed ten years ago, and tens and tens of years more, that I would remain the protector of our beloved city. And I am not going anywhere." 

The crowd cheered. Voltron smiled and looked out to everyone. His eyes found sight of the area reserved for news crews and found himself smiling even bigger when his eyes landed on a tall, tan skinned, glasses wearing reporter talking to the lens of a camera with his photography student Veronica, popping bubble gum. 

"Isn't your little bundle of joy supposed to be here?" Voltron could hear Veronica ask as Adam cleared the video. 

"He is. Um. Well. He didn't want to, we got into an argument last night, he yelled some things, I owed the swear jar alot of money, he said to go fuck yourself, I grounded him for two months and an extra two if he didn't show up, so...he better be showing up." 

"Ahh." 

Voltron went back to saying encouraging things, accepting gifts and hugging fans. 

That's when he noticed Veronica with her camera close to the stage. He felt a bubble of panic. 

He looked back for his husband and on schedule, Adam was being dragged into a shiny, expensive car with a bag over his head. Before Voltron could gasp; overhead, a live video began and caught everyone's attention. 

Akira Night. 

He wore a black and purple full face mask, that connected to a full body suit. He also had his heavy hood on his head, he wore it like a crown. 

His voice deep, slow and purposeful. "Happy birthday, Voltron." 

"Akira." Voltron replied with gritted teeth. 

Someone cried in the crowd, "not on his birthday!" 

"Oh yes!!" Akira shouted. He jumped up, revealling he was sitting down. "YES on his BIRTHDAY." 

Voltron squinted his eyes. Remembering how on his son's last birthday he had to fly out to help a caving tunnel. His son was pissed. 

"What do you want, Akira?" 

"I want you gone." And although they knew it was just evil talk, Voltron knew the truth behind it. 

"Goodness will always live." The crowd cheered. 

"But your precious news reporter won't." 

 

Adam sat tied to a chair in another secret lair. He rolled his eyes. His vision was a little blurry because Akira was sooooo kind enough to take his glasses off after he broke his last two pairs. 

"Give me some water." Adam said to the dark figure lurking in the corner. 

"Dehydrate, media scum." 

"What did you just-"

"Nothing." 

Adam watched as alligators swam in the flooring and near his feet, they snapped and growled.

"Did you watch any of the ceremony?" Adam asked.

The dark figured played with a switch blade. "Sure." 

"Did you. Watch. Any. Of the. Cer-"

"Yes, Wilson! God! Get off my back! I saw Voltron got a puppy." 

"We are donating that little guy to the orphanage and watch your tone, young man. You're already grounded-" 

"Dad!!!" Keith finally broke character. He threw off his mask. His arms flailed and he came into the light where he was visibly turning red. "Can you just act like you're being kidnapped for once?" 

"I have. The first twenty times you kidnapped me. This is getting old." 

"ARUGGH"

"Have you eaten yet? I have cheese string in my bag-" 

"I ate." Keith shoved his hands in his suit pockets. 

"What?" 

"Well...Like whatever." 

"What did you eat huh?" 

"Fine. What pocket?" 

"Front." 

While Keith nibbled on a cheese string, he watched as a laser beam danced around the room to scare Adam. It came off the floor and up to where Adam sat. It began burning the chair a little when Keith noticed Adam yawn. 

He pressed a few buttons and a cheetah sprung out from a side room and growled at Adam. Adam smiled and cooed at the animal. To which the animal began purring. 

"Murderer!" Keith yelled. Scaring the cat. "It is not play time." 

The cheetah looked up from behind Adam where he was just barely scratching its belly. 

"Give it up, Keith!-"

"Akira."

"Your tricks are old and your father's going to arrive any minute now. Go get ready to come home soon, I want to start on dinner as soon as I get home and I'll need your help. The soup and roast is going to take a few good hours." 

"I'll be home when I'm home." 

"Before 3?" 

"Maybe." 

"Keith." 

" _Akira_." 

"Akira... I want you home before 2." 

"I'll be home-" 

"Need I remind you." Adam's voice turned hard. "That you are grounded. I am your father and I say when you come home." 

Keith sighed and pulled his mask back on before playing country music, knowing it was always torture to Adam. 

"I wish I never told you guys the truth." 

And on time, Voltron the superman of their city, swoops in and frees the oh so scared and helpless reporter that everyone gossiped should be dating Voltron. Adam will blush and say he's married and everyone will boo at the thought of his boring, kind, high school teacher husband. 

Before leaving, Shiro will kiss his evil son on the forehead and fly off with his husband and celebrate back with the masses of people. 

Keith will sit back. His husky will come out of it's cage and cuddle with him. 

Keith will think back to even just a week ago...when things were _way_ easier to be a villain. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Omg i wasnt going to originally have adam and shiro know quite yet but i can work with this too 
> 
> <3


	2. One Week Earlier

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith is reflecting on the night everything went wrong, the first and last time he kidnapped Adam without Adam knowing his identity, and some villain friends

The first time Keith kidnapped Adam, he was sweating so hard. 

He was so sure Adam was going to recognize him. I mean, _the man had been tucking Keith in bed for the past eleven years!_  

Keith made sure to use a voice modulator, triple the gloves, wear shoes a size too big, make sure his mask wouldn't slide off from the sweat. 

And Adam didn't recognize him. 

Keith almost broke character seeing Adam so distressed. He wanted to tell him everyting was _actually_ fine, _you're not in danger._

But that would have been confusing and Adam would have thrown out all his stuff and made him return all the stolen money. 

Keith grabbed Adam after he was done shooting a live video after Shiro saved a bunch of zoo animals from the river. 

He used some chemicals to make Adam unconscious and he brought him back to his secret lair that was just the old photo studio that got shut down months ago  

When Adam woke up, he was tied to a chair on a small platform above an open tank of alligators. Those fuckers were hard to get. 

Keith remember's Adam tearing up, saying how the last thing he got to say to his son was how disappointed in him he was. Keith had to excuse himself. Because, um, hello, this was supposed to be easy but now he was crying and he wanted to untie his dad? 

"He'll save you." Adam looked up when Akira Night returned. "That's the point. I want...to play with Voltron. I want everyone to see him struggle for the first time in his perfect life. I will be a force greater than the greatest storm to him. I will live as long as he prevails." 

Then Voltron arrived and punched Akira in the face. 

Keith used a lot of make up at home that week. 

 

It happened again a week later, then a few days later, then a week later, and the next day. Keith never planned a schedule for kidnapping his father. 

He tried to keep the kidnappings to days when they had city wide events or ceremonies. But sometimes he couldn't help it if Shiro made his date feel uncomfortable the night before. Or if Shiro accidentally turned his white laundry load pink with his superhero suit. 

And he couldn't help the irony when Adam grounded him one day and he traps his father  in the abandoned underground subway, saying, "it seems you're...grounded." 

Soon, after an eventful day with Voltron and Adam was just saved, Akira began packing up his evil lair until he heard a chuckle behind him. 

"Akira Night...we meet at last." 

Keith turns around, mask and suit still on. 

Out from the shadows came forth- "Dark Prince," Keith acknowledgs. 

The white haired villain smiles. Most of his face was showing, except for a golden metal helmet that wasn't exactly a helmet because it only covers his forehead, that wraps around under his hair in the back like some sort of horizontal headband. The headband in the front curved down in between his eyebrows. Keith could tell he was wearing a wig. 

"In the handsome flesh." 

Keith isn't sure what his opinion on the Dark Prince is. His dads don't like him. I mean, obvs. 

But the Dark Prince is clever. Sneaky. He has a growing evil fan base. He has money and plans and it would be wise to be on his side. 

Except, there is one thing about Keith that nobody has figured out yet. Keith is smart. 

"What do you want, Prince?" 

He looks Akira up and down. "Akira, I would like us to team-" 

"If you say team up, I'm going to tell your mother that you're a villain." Akira fights a smirk. 

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me..." Akira zips his bag closedto go. "Lotor Harding." 

Lotor gasps. "Who-" 

"I figured it out, handsome." Akira put his hands on his hips. "You also don't cover your face." 

"Not even my-" 

"Parents. Attorney General Zarkon and Comissoner Honerva Harding. Yeah, they haven't found out yet because they're in office all day. Plenty of time for you to galavant across the city. Causing more trouble for them. Because you crave their attention like the cord is still attach-" 

"Shut up." Lotor grits. "You're not perfect either, Akira." 

"Actually, I am." Akira shrugs. "My parents love me. I'm smart and got a bright future. I have friends. I have hobbies. And that's the problem with villains these days. They get greedy over the little things. Attention, power, money, fame. I,"

Akira steps closer to the Dark Prince, "don't,"

"need," 

Lotor presses his back against the wall. "Anything." 

 

"Delicious!" Shiro smiles proudly. Adam sat beside him, impressed he didn't have to cook tonight. 

Keith flows into the dining room with dinner, roast chicken, rice, asparagus, cauliflower, just something easy.

"I will admit it does smell good." Adam smiles. 

Keith smiles and places the food on the table and sits. They say grace and began eating. 

Half the table is covered in paper from both parents, tests to be marked by Shiro from his job as a substitute high school teacher and articles and rough drafts from Adam's job as a news journalist. 

"How was everyone's day?" Adam asks. Shiro smiles at Keith to go first. 

Keith talks about the few classes he had in the morning, and then how he went to the library and saw on tv that that darned Akira Night got Adam again. Then he went home. Nothing exciting. 

Shiro will talk about doing the laundry, then teaching a class, then bringing Adam lunch, then saving him not two hours later. 

Keith feels bad maybe once every night. Because Shiro and Adam are some of the nicest and the least-deserving-of-anything-bad-things-happening-to-them people out there. 

And Shiro gets this look in his eyes. He looks over at Adam and you can see on his face that he's scared and worried and confused as to why anyone would want to hurt his news-hungry husband. 

At the end of the night Keith watches as they go to their room, his dads smile at him and say softly a goodnight and I love you. He says it back. 

 

"Dark Prince." Akira Night sighs. He was on his way home from robbing the new bank. 

The Prince stood in an alley way. Behind him were four girls, aliens looking costumes.

"What? Didn't think you could take me one-on-one?" Akira chuckles. 

"We are the Genesis Girls." The tallest one says. "My name is Ezor." 

"Narti." 

"Zethrid." 

"Acxa." 

"We are all friends, are we not?" Dark Prince smiles.

"I don't need you or your friends." Akira swung his bag of money playfully. "What do you want?" 

They wanted to show Akira and the entire city that they were strong. They were the newest villains. And they did. They made it front cover of the newspaper the next morning with a picture of a bloody alleyway and the mask of Akira Night hanging from the wall by a knife. 

Shiro and Adam fell asleep in the living room waiting for Keith to come home that night. 

Luckily, Dark Prince nor the Genesis saw Keith's face. But to go home wasn't exactly ideal. Especially with a fractured elbow, bruises galore and looking like a cat had just thought Keith was trying to give it a bath and scratched it's way away from him.

Keith managed to get back to a lair of his and within the six hours before Shiro woke up to get ready for work, Keith had created ten highly advanced robots in the form of flying hippos. If he had been thinking clearer, he would have chosen differently because his dads will know that's his favouri- 

"Ah! Quit it!" Keith hissed. Hippo Number Seven looks up at it's creator sassily. 

"Don't look me at like that, I told you it _**hurts**_."

Number Seven beeps in response. 

"Number Four." Keith warns, "Steady." 

Number Four was stitching his shoulder. It beeped in response. 

As well as home, going to a hospital wasn't ideal either. 

"Where are you Number One?" Keith grits his teeth, "You know you have the, most...important job." 

Number One beeps and presses play again on Keith's music playlist. 

At five am, the hippos were done and Keith laid down on a pile of blankets on the ground. He was dripping in sweat. 

"Fuck...what the fuck was that." 

Number Eight beeps.

"Lotor is gunna feel our wrath." He promises. 

 

 

"And continuing this month long feud between the Dark Prince and Akira Night." Adam said to the camera, "Akira Night appeared on the rooftops of the city councils building to initiate a fight with the Dark Prince. The fight is going on behind us. Akira Night seems like he should physically not be able to keep up, but there are some who believe the Dark Prince is, indeed, getting tired." 

"I mean, aren't they supposed to be fighting me?" Voltron laughs as the camera turned to him. 

"I don't need you." Dark Prince growls as he dodged the end of Akira's blade. 

"And yet, you can't keep away. You know, they say you're supposed to leave love _off_ the battlefield." 

"Fuck you," Lotor glares. "I don't like you. I have other friends and lovers. You are just-" 

"-About to win." Akira stabs his blade into the Dark Prince's leg. "Tell me, will your friends still be around when I tell them who mommy and daddy are?" 

Lotor fells to his knees. "Shut the fuck up." 

Akira twists the knife. "Want me to hold your wig for you?" 

"You...Are...Scum." 

Akira Night is gone before the Genesis come to get the Dark Prince.

 

 

"Akira Night prevails..." Adam mumbles as he pokes his food. "Yippie." 

"Sorry dad." Keith chuckles half-heartedly. 

"I'm just glad I've been able to rest for a bit." Shiro says. "I'm always happy to see more of you two." 

Keith smiles up at Shiro. 

 

 

And not too long after, came the fight. 

It was bigger and more stressful than anything Keith had experienced yet.

It began on Monday. Keith was doing laundry when he had accidentally dropped a glove from the Akira Night suit. 

Shiro immediately saw it and began to interrogate him. But not the way you think. 

Shiro became convinced that Keith was being threatened by Akira Night. Makes sense, goes after Adam and now Adam's son. 

Tuesday, Voltron followed Keith home from school and found it suspicious that Keith was delivering mail to some places. The letters turned out to be blackmail letters and Shiro was convinced Akira Night was blackmailing Keith into doing bad things.

Wednesday, Akira kidnapped Adam and Adam asked about Keith. 

Thursday, Adam had student reporters follow his son and Voltron was never too far. Even when Keith sneezed, Voltron was there with a tissue.

Friday, Akira kidnapped Adam, for the last time before everything changed, and Akira noticed Adam petting his cheetah. 

Saturday, Shiro called a family meeting and the three sat in the living room.

"I honestly don't think Akira Night is much of a threat." Adam shrugs. "But I agree. Who knows what he is willing to do to Keith to hurt us." 

Shiro and Adam went back and forth for a while. Until Keith said, "He's not that bad." 

His parents look over. 

"What?" Keith asks, "he hasn't done much bad and he doesn't seem like, to the core evil." 

Adam and Shiro charge into a heated argument. 

"Your father's life is put in danger every single day." 

"He almost killed the Dark Prince - _The Dark Prince_!" 

"He stole Grace, Steven, and Oliver the Alligators from the zoo!" 

"He imported a rhino to the city and no one knows where it is yet!" 

"He ran by and took a lollipop from a literal baby!" 

"Babies shouldn't be eating lollipops." Keith crosses his arms. 

"He called me a spineless gorilla and proceeded to say how disgusting that would look." 

"He said he knew about that time I sat on ice cream and threatened to expose photos." 

"That was funny, though." 

"He said..." Shiro watched Keith strangely. "That he once killed three wolves with one shot." 

"No I didn't!" Keith exclaims, clearly surprised by Shiro's lie and falling into the trap. 

Adam's mouth gaped. Shiro sat back, knowingly.

Keith turns red, he blinks. "No- No- I meant-" 

"Keith..." 

"Keith Matthew Kogane." Adam grits. 

Next, Keith was on his feet, running through the dining room and up the stairs, as Adam chased behind him. 

"Adam! We need him alive if we want answers!" 

Finally, Adam tackles Keith at the top of the stairs and with Keith's ear in between his pinching fingers, Adam yelled for a long time. 

 

They all sat in the living room, again. Adam was panting and sniffling, Keith was red and looking wounded. Shiro purses his lips and stared at the ground. 

"So-" Shiro starts. 

"Why?" Adam asks. "Why would you do this." 

"Because I'm a villain." Keith says quietly. Before clearing his threat and saying, "Well, I mean, that sounded corny. But it's true. It's the same way that dad needs to be a hero. He can feel that it's his duty. Well...it's my duty too. To be bad." 

"But you're a good kid! You're...I thought you were happy. I thought you were..." Adam was so confused. 

Keith sat straight. "I am, dad. Don't confuse that. I am incredibly lucky and content and this isn't some sort of cry for help. I'm just a villain. My situation makes me the perfect villain, too. That I have everything I need. So I can be free to be bad."

"Keith, no..." Shiro sighed 

"Dads. I'm a villain!" Keith pleads. "And I don't hurt people. I'm not a killer. I just...do bad things." 

"What about the Dark Prince?" Adam asks 

"He started it." Keith pouts. "He beat the crap out of me." 

Suddenly Shiro gasps. He throws himself to the floor and crawls to his son. "I hit you _so_ , _many_ , times!"  

Adam gasps too. 

Keith chuckles and then they all laugh. Adam comments about the adoption agency getting mad. Shiro says something about his own parents. 

They all end up hugging on the floor. Shiro and Adam's hair tickles Keith's face and he smiles.  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Y'all waited too long 4 this

**Author's Note:**

> **I will be a force greater than the greatest storm to him ******


End file.
